Jacko defence: 'dismiss all charges'

Wednesday 4 May 2005 23:00 BST

The focus in Michael Jackson's child sex trial will change gear today, almost 10 weeks since prosecutors launched their case against the singer

The state wrapped up its case after almost two months of seeking to prove that the pop star was a serial child molester who abused 13-year-old Gavin Arvizo, plied him with alcohol and conspired to hold him and his family captive.

Today the defence is expected to asked Judge Rodney Melville to dismiss all charges against the star - a routine motion usually denied - before it begins its own case at Santa Maria court, California.

Alleged former victims Wade Robson and Brett Barnes, who both deny being abused, are believed to be among the first defence witnesses who will take the stand.

The prosecution's final salvo against the star came in the form of music producer Rudy Provencio, who suggested Jackson was involved in plans to protect his image in the wake of Martin Bashir's damaging documentary from the very beginning.

He claimed the Jackson team had received a transcript of Bashir's documentary a week before it was first broadcast in the UK.

He said he overheard two telephone conversations a few days later, in early February 2003, in which the singer and his aides discussed ways to rebut the potential onslaught of bad publicity.

Jackson was advised to call his ex-wife Debbie Rowe and ask her to film a positive interview. He was also warned that the young accuser Gavin Arvizo and his family could "ruin his career" and "blackmail" him Provencio said.

The witness claimed he had heard the singer being advised to whisk the family to Florida to hold a press conference.

During his testimony Provencio frequently consulted notes he claimed to have taken during his time at Neverland.

He said one of Jackson's closest aides, Marc Schaffel, once claimed "killers" were after the Arvizo family.

He said he was twice told that the family had "escaped" from Jackson's Neverland ranch.

The evidence corroborated Janet Arvizo's testimony and was intended to support the conspiracy allegations against Jackson.

Prosecutors claim the Arvizos were held captive and forced to appear in a video rebuttal of Bashir's documentary, Living With Michael Jackson, after being warned their lives were at stake.

Provencio claimed Schaffel had instructed Rowe to "cry better" when she was interviewed as part of the rebuttal although in her own testimony the former nurse was adamant she was not coached and that all her remarks in the interview were spontaneous.

Jackson, 46, denies molesting Gavin Arvizo, plying him with alcohol and conspiring to hold him and his family captive.